365 – New Music Daily

Last night I watched “The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker” on Netflix, which is basically the story of an unstable homeless man who was viral on the internet for bludgeoning a man with a hatchet, which led to him getting a reality show offer from the producers of the Kardashians, only to further prove his instability by murdering another man. Fun!

Hip-hop, R&B, and hip-hop today. Only feel like reading about music you think you might like? I get it. Use these links to jump to reviews on albums from Wu-Tang Clan (Hip-Hop) Arin Ray (R&B) and Outkast (Hip-hop).

Wu-Tang Clan – Enter the 36 Chambers (Hip-Hop)

Lauded as one of the greatest rap albums of all time, Enter the 36 Chambers, for me, feels like a point in time piece of music that reminds me of some stoners that I absolutely cannot stand. Like dude, as much as I was potentially attempting to cypher with one of my friends (I know this is a horrible sentence to hear. just leave it. ok?), I am NOT in any way, shape, or form hoping that this session will include you spitting a Ghostface verse. Please!

I also think, to me, that if you were never into this kind of music, it’s pretty hard to get into. I respect it from afar, but the hip-hop hip-hop thing wears on me pretty quickly. The Wu-Tang Clan/CREAM/Method Man run is absolutely iconic and this album is objectively very good (and CREAM is one of the best rap beats of all time). But it’s firmly in the not for me, maybe for you tier (remember album tiers? August coming soon?)

Favorite songs: Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber, Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nothin to Fuck With, C.R.E.A.M, Method Man, Tearz

Arin Ray – Phases III (R&B)

You know the music that you recognize just isn’t that good but has this redeeming quality to me? Arin Ray is basically that. I really dove into him in late 2022, thus his lack of presence of the blog, but if you’re looking for that catchy, kind of shitty R&B, he is the man for you. However, I would say look away from Phases III, which is a pretty mediocre effort (and, when you’re making music that isn’t that good, mediocre mediocrity is … you know). If you’re into this type of shit (or could be), check out Phases II (especially love “Don’t Chase”) or Platinum Fire, which has a bunch of songs. In fact, I’ll just link one of those below.

Favorite songs: Good Evening, Tequila, Cold, Save It All,

Outkast – Southernplayalisticadillacfunkymuzik

Let’s be clear – 0% all my previous talk about hip-hop hip-hop being a bit difficult for me to grasp on to relates to Outkast. Andre 3k is, I believe, the best and most creative rapper of all time, and Big Boi often meets the bar that he sets. Southernplayalisticadlliacfunkymuzik is their debut album and holds a lot of that early Outkast feel – a bit like an early mixtape from someone in the more modern era – raw, but still with some of their great features showing.

I personally love that era of any artist/rapper’s career, so this album ranks very high for me compared to where a lot of people would put it on their Outkast chart. Great melodies, great flows, and a very accessible start into the Outkast catalog that isn’t Hey Ya/Rosa Parks/etc.

Favorite songs: Ain’t No Thang, Southernplayalisticadlilacfunkymuzik, Player’s Ball, Funky Ride, Git Up, Get Out, Crumblin’ Erb